"Los Angeles baseball collector Seth Swirsky has found a creative way to put together a unique baseball collection."

Owen Edwards
GQ Magazine
June, 2000

"One of the most sustaining things about the baseball
hobby is the realization that, in many cases, some of
the most spectacular pieces of historic baseball memorabilia
wind up in hands of remarkable people who seem more than
worthy caretakers of the game’s treasures. Seth
Swirsky would seem to fit nicely into that category."

T.S. O’Connell
Sports Collector’s Digest
June 23, 2000

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Letters & Documents

This part of my collection consists
of letters and documents from baseball's rich history.
One of my favorite pieces is the letter written in 1922
to "Shoeless" Joe Jackson from the Commissioner
of Baseball, Kenesaw "Mountain" Landis, banning
Jackson from the game forever for his part in the "throwing
of the World Series of 1919."

My collection also includes a fan letter written by
a small boy to Jackson at the end of Jackson's life
requesting his autograph. Jackson was illiterate and,
therefore, didn't send the boy an autograph. When Jackson
died in 1950, the boy's letter and the envelope in which
it came were found on Jackson's bedside. On the back
of the envelope, Jackson had twice signed his name the
best that he could and attempted it a third time.

Another fascinating letter in this collection was written
by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954 to his idol,
baseball immortal Honus Wagner, commemorating Wagner's
80th birthday. Even Five Star Generals who become the
President of the United States can write fan letters.

One of my favorite documents is the check written to
Boston Red Sox manager Jake Stahl for $88,543.44, which
was the winner's share for the World Championship that
year. I found an actual copy of a Boston newspaper from
the day after Stahl was given the check and they printed
the check in the paper. Talk about authenticity!